DESIRE PLEASURE HAPPINESS - The Pursuit of Happiness

DESIRE PLEASURE HAPPINESS

Philosophical Musings on The Pursuit of Happiness

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Dear Reader - Here is a philosophical musing to ponder over - some food for thought - on this lovely Tuesday Morning ...

HAPPINESS and PLEASURE

Are Happiness and Pleasure correlated?

They say:

1.       Pleasure is Quantitative but Happiness is Qualitative

2.       Happiness is a lifelong goal

3.       Happiness requires cognitive judgment

4.       Pleasure is not essential to achieving happiness

Well, I do agree with the first three precepts, but I certainly do not agree with the fourth point.

I feel that happiness and pleasure are not mutually exclusive.

In fact genuine pleasure can be the source of much happiness.

No philosopher has better explored the distinction between happiness and pleasure than Epicurus, a Greek Philosopher of the Third Century BC. Epicurus (341-270 BC) espoused a strategy for achieving genuine human happiness by emphasizing the delights of the mind(over which a person has control) rather than the delights derived from material things (which are so often beyond one’s personal control).

Epicurus’ name survives in the team “epicurean” which is used to refer to someone with elevated tastes and a lifestyle centred on pleasure. However, if you peruse his philosophy thoroughly, you will realize that Epicurus counsels a way of life very different from what the popular use of the term “pleasure” implies.

You may feel that Epicurean philosophy champions the pursuit of pleasure as the supreme goal of life, but this does not mean the unrestrained pursuit of excesses of any kind. Instead, Epicurus argues for a life of sober restrain and moderation in all things. The pleasures Epicurus recommends are those that are easy to achieve and simple in nature. The prolonged pursuit of pleasure is best achieved by restraint and enlightened choice.

It may be the prudent to moderate our single minded pursuit of “outward” success and achievement, the mindless acquisition of material possessions and accumulation of wealth, tendencies to showing off and ostentation, conspicuous consumption and lavish unrestrained pleasures; and focus more on the more authentic “inner” pleasures of life such as happy family life, enriching relationships, cultivating the mind and intellect, enjoying the pleasures of friends and companions, and living on the higher plane.

Epicureanism does not advocate the wanton pursuit of pleasure. Also, you must remember that pleasures and pains of the mind are of greater importance than those of the body. 

Epicurus set forth a strategy for achieving authentic human happiness by emphasizing the delights of the mind (over which you have control) rather than the delights derived from material things (which are so often beyond your personal control). 

The fundamental premise is that presence of pleasure is synonymous with the absence of pain.

Genuine happiness emanates from pleasures that are easy to achieve and simple in nature.

If you have only a few things, you will enjoy them more than if you had many things.

And if you do not become used to rich and expensive foods, then simple fare, which is easier to obtain will satisfy you more.

In a nutshell: “The Art of Happiness is in keeping your Pleasures Mild”.

And how do you keep your pleasures mild...?

DESIRE and PLEASURE 

Are pleasures in any way linked to satisfying your desires?

There are two different types of pleasures:

'moving' pleasures

and

'static' pleasures.

'Moving' pleasures occur when one is in the process of satisfying a desire – like eating delicious food when one is hungry.

Moving Pleasures involve an active enjoyable titillation of the senses which most people call 'pleasure'

However, Epicurus says that after one's desires have been satisfied, like suppose you are fully satiated after eating a hearty meal, this state of satiety, the state of no longer being in need or want, is itself pleasurable. 

Epicurus calls this a 'static' pleasure, and says that these static pleasures are the best pleasures.

Hence, Epicurus says that there is no intermediate state between pleasure and pain. When one has unfulfilled desires, this is painful, and when one no longer has unfulfilled desires, this steady state is the most pleasurable of all. 

There is no intermediate state between pleasure and pain – either your desires are fulfilled or your desires are not fulfilled.

Epicurus also distinguishes between physical and mental pleasures and pains.  

Physical pleasures and pains concern only the present, whereas mental pleasures and pains also encompass the past (fond memories of past pleasure or regret over past pain or mistakes) and the future (confidence or fear about what will occur in future).

The greatest destroyer of happiness is anxiety about the future, especially the fear of death. If you can banish fear about the future, and face the future with confidence that one's desires will be satisfied, then you can attain a most exalted state of tranquillity.

This we see that the key to happiness is the effective management of your desires – Desire Management.

DESIRE and HAPPINESS 

Over the years I have realized that two main reasons for unhappiness are:

(i) dissatisfaction caused by unfulfilled desires
and
(ii) anxiety that you will not be able to fulfill your desires in the future

There is a close connection between happiness and desire-satisfaction. 

When you get what you want you feel happy and when you do not get what you want you feel unhappy.

If happiness results from getting what you want (desire-satisfaction) and unhappiness results from not getting what you want (desire-frustration), then there are two strategies you can pursue with respect to any given desire:

(i) you can either strive to fulfill the desire

or

(ii) you can try to eliminate the desire.

No philosopher has better explored this than Epicurus, a Greek Philosopher of the Third Century BC. 

Epicurus (341-270 BC) espoused a strategy for achieving genuine human happiness by emphasizing the delights of the mind (over which a person has control) rather than the delights derived from material things (which are so often beyond your personal control).

Epicurus advocates the second strategy of scaling down your desires to the basic minimum which can easily be satisfied.

Epicurus distinguishes between three types of desires:

1.      natural and necessary desires

2.      unnatural and unnecessary (or vain and empty) desires

3.      natural but non-necessary desires

How we tackle each of these three types of desires determines our tendency to happiness (or unhappiness).

Natural and Necessary Desires

Examples of natural and necessary desires include the desires for food, shelter, health, sense of security and basic physical needs, cravings which will necessarily lead to greater pain if they are not fulfilled.

These basic desires are easy to satisfy yet difficult to eliminate since they are 'hard-wired' into human beings naturally and create a sense of well-being when satisfied (“Happiness begins at the stomach”) 

Furthermore, natural and necessary desires are necessary for life, and these desires are naturally limited: that is, if one is hungry, it only takes a limited amount of food to fill the stomach, after which the desire is satisfied.

Epicurus says that you should try to satisfy natural and necessary desires.

Vain and Empty or Unnatural and Unnecessary Desires

Vain, unnatural and unnecessary desires include desires for excessive power, wealth, fame, and other egoistic ambitions which have all the trappings of status and prestige.

Vain desires are difficult to satisfy, in part because they have no natural limit. 

If one desires wealth or power, no matter how much one gets, it is always possible to get more, and the more one gets, the more one wants.

These desires are not natural to human beings, but inculcated by society and by false beliefs about what we need, for example, believing that being very powerful or wealthy or famous will guarantee us happiness. 

In actual fact, Opulence and too much Wealth may attract thieves and other dangers like kidnapping, extortion and blackmail, and Power and Fame may attract sycophants. Yes, such vain desires, which are unnatural and unnecessary, are sure to put you into the spiral of unhappiness.

Epicurus says that such vain and empty desires should be eliminated.

Natural but Non-Necessary Desires

An example of a natural but non-necessary desire is the desire for luxury food. Although food is needed for survival, one does not need rich expensive gourmet food to survive. 

Thus, despite his hedonism, Epicurus advocates a surprisingly ascetic way of life. 

Although you should not spurn extravagant foods if they happen to be available, becoming dependent on such luxury food (and other luxuries) ultimately leads to unhappiness.

These natural but non-necessary desires are those cravings that are not necessary for life, but give you great happiness. However, should you become dependent on them, such desires can lead to great unhappiness if they are not fulfilled. These desires are typically recreational in nature and examples of such desires include Sexual Gratification, Friendship, Aesthetic Desires, Entertainment, Social Intercourse, Creative Expression and Intellectual Stimulation, Liberal Arts, Reading, Social Networking, Sports, Travel etc

In the case of natural but non-necessary desires you must approach life like a banquet. 

Think of your life as if it were a banquet where you would behave graciously.

When a dish is passed to you, extend your hand and help yourself to a moderate portion. 

If a dish should pass you by, enjoy what is already on your plate. 

And if a dish hasn’t being passed to you yet, patiently wait for your turn.

Conclusion

To paraphrase Epicurus:

If you wish to make a man truly happy, 

don't give him more money

rather,

just try to reduce his desires

By eliminating the unhappiness caused by unfulfilled desires, and the anxiety that occurs because of the fear that your desires will not be fulfilled in the future, adopting this wise Epicurean philosophy of life will enable you to attain tranquility and enjoy everlasting happiness.

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2012
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and he is currently working on his novel. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts. 


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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.